Wheel



Feb. 11, 1930. H. A. HOU'SE, JR

WHEEL Original Filed April 1, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet FIG-3 FIG. 5.

grwcnhzm HENRY AHouss JR.

FIG- 8- F/G- 7.

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WHEEL Original Filed April 1, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 2 HE/-12 Y A. HousEJR airman Feb. 11, 1930.

H. A. HOUSE, JR

WHEEL 3 Shets-Sheet Original Filed April 1, 1927 gwvento'o HENRY A HouseJR.

Patented Feb. 11, 1930 UNITED l STATES HENRY .l. HOUSE, JR., OF BUFFALO,NEW YORK WHEEL Beflle otapplieationserial No. 180,127, filed April 1,1927. This applicationfiled February 24, 1928. Serial No. 256,762.

This invention relates to an improvement in wheels and more particularlyto an improvement in balancers adapted to be used for the purpose ofholding the wheel in proper balance at all times.

It has been found that in many cases a wheel which is in proper balanceat the time it was made and before the tire is mounted thereon is thrownout of balance by the addition of the'tire and that true operation ofthe wheel is impaired.

The primary object of this invention is to correct this condition bmeans of balancers which can be expan ed to, clamp them against the rim.

Another object of this invention is to provide a balancer which includesa pair of blocks adapted to be mounted on the under surface of the rimand expanded into contac with an adjacent pair of spokes.

A further object of this invention is to provide a balancer having athree point contact with the walls of an inner rim of a wheel having tworims.

Other objects will appear from a consideration of the followinspecification taken in connection with the drawings which form a partthereof, and in which Figure -1 is a side elevation, with parts brokenaway, of one embodiment of this invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figures 3, 4 and 5 are cross sectional views taken along the'lines 3-3,4-4 and 5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a side elevation, with parts broken away, of anotherembodiment, of this invention- I Figure 7 is a sectional view takenalong the line 77 of Figure 6;

Figures 8 and 9 are cross sections taken along the lines 8-8 and 9'9 ofFigure 6;

Figure 10 is a side elevation of another embodiment of this inventionparticularly intended to be applied to wheels having wood spokes;

"Figures 11,12, 13, 14 and 15 are cross sec tions taken as indicated bythe section lines and arrows on Figure 10;

Figure 16 is a side elevation, certain parts belng broken away, of yetanother embodiment of this invention adapted to be secured to the innerrim of a wheel having an inner and an outer rim;

Figure 17 is a cross section taken along the line 17-17 of Figure 16;and

Figure 18 is a bottom plan and section view taken along the line 18--18of Figure 17.

In the drawings, the reference character 20 is employed to designate awheel of the wire spoke type having a rim 21, and inclined spokes 22threaded into nipples 23 seated within cups 24 formed in the base of therim. A balancer 25, embodying this invention, is intended to be mountedagainst the surface of the rim between an adjacent pair of spokes andheld in that position by the engagement of the ends of the balancer withthe nipple 23 or s okes 22.

T e balancer 25 comprises briefly a pair of end blocks 26, 27, a bolt 28which engages both said blocks and by which the position of the blocks26, 27 with relation to each other is fixed. There is provided betweenthe blocks 26, 27 a space 29 in which a collar 30 fixed on the bolt 28is located. In order to enclose the space 29 and to connect the blocks26, 27 a shell 31 is provided which is substantially rectangular inconformation and open at one side. The walls 32 of the shell are eachprovided with an inwardly turned flange 33 as shown particularly in thesectional views 3, 4, 5, 8 and 9. The edges of the blocks 26, 27adjacent the rim are chamfered at 34 so that when the shell 31 is set inplace the flanges 33 engagethe chamfered portions of the blocks.

As a further means for positioning the shell 31 on the blocks atransverse groove 35 is provided in the block 26 and one end of theshell t is provided with a flange 36 which enters the groove 35 and thussecures the shell in its position.

The bolt 28 is preferably threaded at one end only, its threaded end 37being, as shown 93 in Fig. 1, in threaded engagement with a tapped hole38 in the block 26. The hole 39 in the block 27 is unthreaded and theend 40 of the bolt is free to move longitudinally therein. Obviously byturningthe collar 30, the 1d blocks 26, 27 may be separated or broughttogether according to the direction in which the bolt is turned.

The ends of each block 26, 27 are provided with a depression 41 whichreceives the outer surface of the cup 24 and with a depression 42 whichreceives the nipple 23. The angularity of the spokes to the rim vary fora number of reasons as, for example, due to the numher or to the lengthof the spokes. In order to allow for this variance and permit the use ofthe same balancer 25 upon different wheels, the depressions 42 arecurved so that they will engage the spokes regardless of theirangularity.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 the bolt 28 is provided witharectangular plate 43 on the unthreaded portion 40 of the bolt betweenthe collar 30 and the block 27. In addition to the plate 43 there isalso provided a plurality of weights 44, each weight having a slot 45therein by means of which the weight can be slipped upon the bolt 28between the plate 43 and the block 27.

The embodiment shown inFigs. 6, 7, 8, and 9 is similar to thatpreviously described but differs therefrom in certain details ofconstruction. In this embodiment the bolt 28 is in threaded engagementwith a tapped hole 50 in the block 27 and is free to move in anunthreaded hole in the block 26. No weights 44 are provided and theplate 43 is also omitted. In other respects the construction is thesame.

The embodiment disclosed in Figs. 10 to 15 inclusive is particularlyadapted to be applied to a wheel having wooden spokes. The wheel heredesignated as 60 includes an inner rim 61, an outer rim 62, and spokes63. The balancer 64 is secured against the under surfaceofthe'rim 61 bymeans of the engagement of blocks 65, 66 with the adjacent pair ofspokes 63. The blocks 65, 66 are fixed in the desired position by meansof a bolt 67 which is provided with a collar 68 to facilitate itsoperation. The bolt 67 has a threaded portion 69 which engages a tappedhole 70 in the block and also has an unthreaded portion.71 which movesfreely longitudnally in a hole 72 in the block 66.

The space 73 between the blocks 65, 55 in which space the collar 68 islocated, is enclosed by means of a shell 74 rectangular in cross sectionand having one side open which side is defined by inturned flanges 75.The edges 76 of the blocks 65, 66 adjacent the rim are chamfered andenga ed by the flanges 75, thus holding the shell 74 in place. In theinner face of the block 65 is provided a transverse groove 77, which isengaged by a flange 78 formed at one end of the shell 74. Mounted on thebolt 67 is a plate 79, a sleeve 80 located between the plate 79 and thecollar-68, and a weight 81 located between the plate 79 and block 66.The weight 81, as shown in Fig. 13, is provided with a slot 82 tofacilitate its application to or removal from the bolt 67. The outerends of the blocks 65, 66 are provided with depressions 83 within whic 1the spokes 63 are received as is shown particularly in Fig. 15.

After being equipped with tires the wheels are tested for balance andthe heavier points of the wheel and tire are determined. Balancers arethen installed to increase the weight of the lighter portions of thewheel. The shells of the balancers to be used are removed and the boltsturned to bring the blocks near each other so that the balancer can beinserted between the selected pair of spokes. The bolt is now turned toseparate the blocks and force them into engagement with the spokes. Thisis preferably done with an open ended wrench and the blocks are forcedapart until the balancer is securely clamped in position against thesurface of the rim. Due to the angularity of the spokes the tendency ofthe balancer, as the bolt is tightened, is to slide down against the rimsurface. The shell is now snapped into place, the side flanges engagingthe chamfered edges of the blocks and the end flange engaging the notchin one of the blocks. N 0 further attention need be given the balancerunless there be a shift in the location of the heavy points of the wheeldue probably to the replacement of the original tire by a spare. \Vhenthis takes place, the balancers may be removed and the wheel rebalanced.

When the variance in weight of the wheel points is great, weights may beused to increase the effectiveness of the balancer. Such weights arehung upon the bolt before the blocks are clamped in place and will becovered by the shell. If the variance is only slight the form ofbalancer shown in Fig. 6 may be employed.

The balancers, thus previously described, are adapted to be securedagainst the under surface of the wheel rim between a pair of adjacentspokes. The embodiment shown in Figs. 16, 17 and 18 is intended to bemounted within the inner rim and is shown applied to a wheel 60 of thetype set forth in Fig. 10 having an inner rim 61, an outer rim 62, and

' spokes 63, suitably secured to the underface of the inner rim. Abalancer 90 is provided which is seated within the inner rim 61 beingclamped against the base thereof by its engagement with the Walls 91 ofthe rim 61. The balancer 90 includes a block 92, two opposite side edges93 of which are separated from each other by a recess 94. Threaded intothe block 92 is a bolt terminating in a head 96 having pointed tip orapex 97. The head 96 may be hexagonal in conformation, as is shown inthe drawing, or may be of any desired form, preferably irregular in theshape so that the head may be engaged by a wrench. By turning the bolt95 in the proper direction the head 96 is moved from the block 92 untilthe apex'97 engages one wall 91 of the rim while the edges 93 engage theother wall. As will be clear from an examination of the drawings, thesethree points of engagement are triangularly arranged and, consequently,when the balancer 90 has been set in the desired position, itwill haveno tendency to shift therefrom. In order to hold the bolt in the desiredposition and to prevent any involuntary loosening a cotter pin 98 may bepassed through a hole 99 in the head 96. One end of the cotter pin 98will bear against the base of the rim as shown particularly/in Figs. 16and 17 and thus prevent any loosening of the bolt.

While certain embodiments of this invenlion have been shown anddescribed, applicant is not to be limited thereto since it is obviousthat other embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit andscope of this invention as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A balancer for a spoked wheel adapted to bear against the under faceof the wheel rim between two adjacent spokes, comprising a pair ofblocks, each block having a hole therein, the hole in one of said blocksbeing tapped, the outer surface of one of said blocks having atransverse groove therein, the edges of said blocks adjacent said rimbeing chamfered, and the ends of said blocks having depressions thereinwhich receive a said spokes, a bolt carried by said blocks and restin inthe holes therein, one end of said bolt being threaded to mesh with saidthreaded hole, a plate carried by said bolt, a slotted weight being onsaid bolt between said plate and one of said blocks, a collar tired onsaid bolt between said plate and the other of said blocks by which saidbolt can be rotated in the threaded hole to fix the distance betweensaid blocks and a rectangular shell open at one side, the edges adjacentsaid open side being flanged to engage the chamfered edges of saidblocks and one end of said shell having a flange which enters thegroove, said shell bearing upon both said blocks and spanning the spacebetween them.

2. A balancer for a spoked wheel adapted to bear against the under faceof the wheel rim and against two adjacent spokes, including a pair ofblocks the ends of which have recesses therein to receive said spokesand means for holding said blocks against the rim of said wheel andagainst said spokes 3. A balancer for a spoked wheel adapted to bearagainst the under face of the wheel rim and against two adjacent spokes,including a pair of blocks, the ends of which have recesses therein toreceive said spokes and a shell bearing upon both said blocks andspanning thespace therebetween.

l. A balancer for a spoked wheel adapted

